The Body In The Library

Although 'the-body-found-in-the-library' detective story is a cliche - and Agatha Christie knew that well - she creates her novel so that the body dead in the library remains a mystery throughout. 

The victim just doesn't fit within the library's surrounding or within the house in which the library is situated. Her dress, her manner of being murdered, her class mean she is out of place, discordant. This anomalous crime and the failure of the police to make much headway provide much of the tension in this novel.

Characters

The characters and the plot of fiction stories are interwoven so it is hard to separate them as is done below. However, thought it would help understanding if this were done. I have grouped characters for clarity.

 

Jane Marple, amateur sleuth, who lives in the village of St Mary Mead;

The Bantrys: Mrs Dolly and Colonel Arthur who reside at Gossington Hall;
and the servants (of the Bantrys').

Police investigators who seem unable to solve the case of the strangled young woman found in the Bantrys' library;

Basil Blake, an unpleasant art-world personality and his girl-friend Dinah Lee;

Ruby Keene a dancer, reported as missing from the Majestic Hotel in the town of Danemouth;
Josephine Turner, professional dancer and cousin of Ruby Keene;
Raymond Starr, the male professional dancer at the Majestic Hotel.

Conway Jefferson, a wealthy, invalid though dynamic in personality;
Adelaide Jefferson, Conway's widowed daughter-in-law;
Mark Gaskell, Conway's son-in-law, ruthless and frank;
Peter Carmody, Conway's 'grandson' from Adelaide's first marriage.

Plot Synopsis

The story opens with Mrs Dolly Bantry of Gossington Hall in the village of St Mary Mead being awakened from a pleasant dream in her bedroom by her maid's announcement of a dead, unknown body being found in the library.

Jane Marple, a resident of the St Mary Mead and Dolly Bantry's good friend, is called for her support because Dolly fears her husband, Colonel Bantry is going to be blamed for the murder.

Meanwhile, in another connected sphere, a small drama is being played out between Conway Jefferson, Ruby Keene, Adelaide Jefferson and Mark Gaskell. Conway is rather sweet on young Ruby and intends to formally adopt her as his daughter and leave all his wealth to her.

Adelaide and Mark don't feel too happy about this but realise that they are not owed anything by Jefferson because they are in-laws not blood relatives. Adelaide also feels for her son who has been well-accepted by Conway might have expected to receive something in his will.

Themes

Comments About Marple's Abilties

Probably the key to Marple's abilities is found in this comment in the novelist's words: 'For Miss Marple had attained fame for her ability to link up trivial village happening with graver problems in such a way as to throw light upon the latter' (p. 17).

The importance of local knowledge is something the Miss Marple character uses to great effect. And she also uses her feminine knowledge of women's clothes and makeup as well.

For example, she knows that the murdered young woman is clearly not a local because no one nearby has reported her missing. She dresses in a tarty way and yet is a virgin (from the autopsy). Her nails have been broken through her biting them which is not usually the behaviour of a dancer.

Even though it appears that her death was first thought to be part of a burglary gone wrong she was hardly dressed for burglary given her clothing.

All these points become vital clues for discerning the whole picture which is revealed at the end of the novel.

Comments By Others And Marple About Human Condition

Character and theme are often illumined by comments made about others about the protagonist and by the protagonist herself.
 
Colonel Bantry calls in a close friend of his, a Sir Henry Clithering who has worked in detection work himself. Sir Henry says of Marple,

Downstairs in the lounge, by the third pillar from the left, there sits an old lady with a sweet, placid, spinsterish face and a mind that has plumbed the depths of human iniquity and taken it all in the day's work. Her name is Miss Marple." Sir Henry to Col. Bantry (p. 91).

Jane Marple says: "Human nature is pretty much the same anywhere, Sir Henry" (p. 97) which is an allusion to the ubiquity of sin.

In a conversation between Dolly Bantry and Adelaide Jefferson, Jane Marple is discussed and the opinion by some that she is 'just a scandalmonger' (p. 124) is raised by Dolly. Adelaide, who appreciates Jane says, "Just a low opinion of human nature?" and then adds, "It's rather refreshing after having had too much of the other thing" [idealization of an unworthy object] (p. 124).

In the last chapter, Marple is asked by an expert Sir Henry Clithering about her methods. She replies that most people, 'are too trusting for this wicked world' because they assume that what they're told is true; whereas, says Marple, 'I never do'. She likes to confirm the truth or otherwise for herself.

She later confesses that a nephew tells her good-naturedly, 'she has a mind like a sink' (p. 184), a Victorian mind.

'All I can say [says Marple] is that the Victorians knew a good deal about human nature'.

As expected, Jane solves the perplexing crime with revolving around Marple's seeing things that don't fit properly and why that would be; but she does it within the framework of doubt about ready acceptance of the testimony of others. This ready doubt proceeds, I believe, from her belief in 'original sin'.

Agatha Christie's detective fiction can be found in most Municipal libraries. If you wish to find out who killed the young woman in the library then visit Wikipedia.